


It Never Rains in Southern California

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Angst, F/M, Post Bartlett Administration, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-02-24
Updated: 2008-02-24
Packaged: 2019-05-31 03:27:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15110837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: How many times did she think she could shove and he would bounce back?  He was a human being, not a Weeble.





	It Never Rains in Southern California

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  
Author's notes: celticann mentioned something about CJ growing into her love for Danny and this is what came to my mind.  


* * *

The distant rumble of thunder brought CJ out of her light sleep. She lay on her side, staring out of the large picture window. The skies outside were dark grey, almost black. CJ was not sure if that was because of the time or the weather. When the thunder came again, it sounded closer and more ominous. Pulling the blanket over her shoulder, CJ shivered. She slid across the mattress until she felt Danny’s belly on her back. He moaned in his sleep, moving his arm over hers before securing it around her waist. CJ had no idea how he did it, but the closeness immediately made her feel at ease.

They had been in California together for nine weeks. Danny rented a large condo in LA. CJ had never lived with anyone except her parents, a few random roommates in school, and her spin boys in motels across America. Still, she moved in. It did not take very long for them both to see it was a work in progress. CJ liked her space, literally and figuratively. She liked to take long walks by herself and spend hours in quiet contemplation listening to Marc Cohn or Ella Fitzgerald.

This did not work well for the man who loved to hear the sound of her voice. Danny would push, CJ would pull, she would pull some more, and he would fall over. 

 

“I just need my space, Danny.” She said after six weeks. “How can you not understand that? I told you that I have never done this before and you just didn’t listen.”

“I do understand and I did listen. I always listen. When I can get you to talk anyway.”

“You do not listen! You push, and I am sick of this! I don’t want to do this!”

“Alright.” His voice was calm. “I think you should find your own place then. Soon you will be working for Franklin Hollis and never see the inside of it but if you want space…”

“Are you fucking patronizing me? I don’t need that shit; don’t make me think I can't get my own place. As if it’s the most horrible idea I have ever had. Don’t patronize me.”

“I am not…”

“You are! I hope you don’t think making yourself sound like the last resort is endearing or attractive. It’s a bit pathetic.”

“You're picking a fight. Why do we always have to do this? I refuse to go down this road with you tonight, CJ. If you want to get your own place, go for it. I feel good when you feel good.”

“I will feel good.”

“Fine.”

“Fine!”

“You don’t have to shout.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Claudia Jean! You want to fucking shout, go RIGHT AHEAD! SEE, I CAN SHOUT TOO!”

“Fuck you Danny. I will do whatever the hell I want to do. You are not my father, or my savior! Get it through your skull, I am a woman, not a project.”

He threw his hands up and walked out of the room. In the kitchen, Danny grabbed a beer. How many times did she think she could shove him and he would bounce back? He was a human being, not a Weeble. While he thought he knew why she was doing it, it was beginning to wear him down. Lately her fury would come out of nowhere and Danny never knew how potent it would be.

To be sure, he loved her. He loved her more than anything. Perhaps eight years at the White House had scarred her even more than he thought. Maybe she needed to talk to someone about everything she was feeling right now. He knew sometimes she still cried herself to sleep. She was unable to get her feelings and emotions in check. Danny was no shrink but he saw glimpses of the real CJ…she was in there. She may have been fighting as hard to get out as he was to get in.

He sat down with his Guinness and the Los Angeles Times. March Madness was on the horizon and though the bookies out here were not as good as their East Coast counterparts, Danny was able to find a guy he liked. His stepfather recommended him; he used the man for the occasional bet. He was respectable and charming, not seedy. It seemed weird having a bookie that you feared in no way, shape, or form.

“I'm sorry.”

He looked up at her, leaning on the doorframe. She looked vulnerable but also drained. The exhaustion had to be more than physical. Neither one of them were working right now. Danny didn’t start UCLA until August. He spent his time doing freelance writing. CJ’s foundation would not be up and running until May. Margaret, Bonnie and Carol were currently on the top floor of a Los Angeles office building making it a true CJ Cregg endeavor.

“Apology accepted.”

“Danny…”

“Can I just say something? Since you are already pissed at me I may as well speak my mind. If you want to live on your own, go for it. I do not believe you incapable. If you don’t think you and I are going to work, I am not sure I have the strength to convince you otherwise. I cannot change your feelings. Have you ever considered talking to someone about what you are feeling and going through? This has nothing to do with what might happen between us. I have seen you in some dark places these past few weeks and that worries me. I cannot follow you there, you won't let me, and I have to live with that. Maybe someone else could help.”

“Do you think I need a shrink?” CJ asked.

“Yes.” Danny found no point in beating around the bush. “Whether we are together or not, your happiness means a lot to me. You are not happy right now and I am not sure space is going to change that. I certainly respect your want of it though. This condo is pretty spacey.”

CJ didn’t say anything for some time. She just breathed and sat down at the kitchen table.

“I'm starving. Will you cook something for me?”

“No.” he shook his head. “You're going to have to learn to do that on your own.”

“I can cook Danny.” There was a defensive edge to her voice as she lit a cigarette. She sighed. “OK, not exactly cook, but I could survive. I don’t need to be Julia Child. Maybe I should take a class in my free time. I have way too much free time right now. I hardly know what to do with myself.”

“The community college offers one.”

“Really?”

“Mmm hmm. I think it’s called Culinary Arts for Beginners.”

“I don’t want to be Wolfgang Puck. I'm just tired of burning rice.” CJ replied.

“Check out the course offerings online. Lacc.edu.”

“Maybe we could cook together tonight. I promise not to be prickly.”

“I'm not sure you can make me a promise like that.” he said. “There is some chicken in the fridge…we can make fajitas.”

“Do you really think I need a shrink?”

“For eight years you have been at war. There were casualties and a lot of heavy fire. Yes, I think you need a shrink. I'm of the school that a year a therapy is good for everybody. I also think that whatever you decide to do is entirely up to you. Good things are coming and you should be able to delight in every moment.”

They did not talk about it anymore that night. CJ spent a week in the spare bedroom and on the seventh day she told Danny two things. She would stay with him in the condo and she had an appointment with Dr. Angela Bennett the next week. While she was still not sure that a psychiatrist was the answer, something was wrong. Dr. Bennett came highly recommended and she would go in with an open mind.

“I would like to make up now.” she announced.

“You and I? We’re fine, CJ.”

“It doesn’t feel that way.”

“C’mere and I’ll show you.”

Danny held out his arms and CJ rushed into them. The familiar warmth and security engulfed her, immediately making her feel better. Why couldn’t their whole relationship just feel like this? She exhaled; the toxins going out as she inhaled fresh air and the scent of his skin.

“Why do you put up with me?” she whispered.

“Because I adore you.” He kissed her softly. “I'm not easy to live with, I know. You do some putting up with too. I just believe what we have is worth fighting for.”

“You're not waving the white flag yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Are you sure?”

“I have faith, patience, and hope. It’s hardly been two months. We have decades to grow from intense passion to bitter hate.”

“Danny!” she pulled back and hit his chest.

He laughed, holding her close again.

“I just never want to replace the White House with you.” She said. “In fact, I don’t even know if that makes any sense.”

“It does. We will take it one day at a time. Sometimes we are going to hit brick walls; a lot of couples do. We scale them as they come. That’s all we can do.”

“I am going to stay in the guest room for a few more days. The space has been liberating.”

“That’s what its there for. It’s all yours for as long as you want it. The door of the master bedroom will never close on you.”

“Good.” CJ smiled, standing him up from the arm of the couch. “Let’s use it right now.”

***

“A storm is coming.” CJ murmured, turning in Danny’s arms. Thunder rumbled again as if to confirm her statement.

“Yeah, it might rain for the next few days. You're trembling.” He wrapped his arms tighter around her, feeling her relax a bit.

“I don’t really like thunderstorms.”

“No? Well, we don’t even have to get out of bed today. Especially right now since I'm sure it’s a bit early.”

“Is that a nice way of telling me to shut up so that you can sleep?”

“Never ever ever.” He kissed her forehead. “Did the storm wake you?”

CJ shook her head. She woke first, and then heard the storm.

“I guess I just have a lot on my mind. I'm going into the office tomorrow for some meetings. We’re close to be being ready to go. Franklin will be in town at the end of the week for bigger meetings. I might not be around much on the weekend. I am not completely satisfied with the current staff but Margaret assured me that she would handle it. I know she will.”

“Yeah. Is May 1st still the big day?”

“I refuse to push it back though Margaret has a June first contingency plan. We haven’t made any kind of formal announcement and I want to wait until mid-April. We need to make phone calls, get the press in on this. Margaret thinks June first is better and that will be part of our discussion tomorrow.”

“Are you ready?” Danny asked. He pushed sleep aside for a while. If CJ wanted to talk then damn right he was going to listen.

“For what?”

“The spotlight. You’ve been gone for months and the press has not been shy about trying to get their hands on you. Are you prepared to walk back into the dragon’s lair?”

“This is not about me and I won't let them make it about me. I know, I never did my Bartlet Administration exit interview. They are going to try to make me the story…damn, why didn’t I think about that?”

“Call Greg Brock. Do the interview.”

“I'm not exactly speaking to him right now.” CJ replied.

That didn’t stop him from sending emails a few times a week. She has just recently stopped erasing them without looking at them. She could not stay mad at him forever, just as she could not stay mad at Toby. At least Greg hadn't owed her anything…he was just getting a story. He went to jail and President Bartlet pardoned Toby. Maybe it was time to let him out of purgatory.

“He is the best, except for me of course. I would do it but I am practically out of the business and I never want to seem biased toward my girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend, huh?”

“Too juvenile?” Danny pulled her closer and gave her a gentle kiss.

“I don't know. I guess I never put much thought into titles and such.”

“Don’t let it give you too much pause. Those things hardly matter.”

“I don’t want to talk to The Times. I’ll call some magazine people I know.”

CJ lifted the Notre Dame tee shirt over his head, running her hands down his chest. Danny sighed; he was in love with her touch. One of those long, splendorous legs slid over his. He moved his hands down to caress her buttocks.

“I love you Danny.”

That made him stop for just a moment. He was not sure he heard her correctly. Just then the rain started to pour down. It beat hard on the windows and the wind came next, shaking the glass. Danny took her face in his hands.

“Claudia Jean?”

“What?”

He kissed her and she smiled, rolling them on the bed. She was on top of him and tucked her legs close to make it easier to get out of her boxer shorts.

“I love you.”

“I love you too. I love you so much.”

“I know. It’s a California morning.”

“Not a very nice one.” Danny observed.

“Oh no, I think I like it just fine.”

“Thunderstorm and all?” 

“The bad weather will pass…I'm sure of it.”

***


End file.
